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班纳特先生尽管在自己太太面前自始至终都说是不想去拜访彬格莱先生，事实上一直都打算去拜访他，而且还是跟第一批人一起去拜访他的。等到他去拜访过以后，当天晚上太太才知道实情。这消息透露出来的经过是这样的：他看到第二个女儿在装饰帽子，就突然对她说： "I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy." “我希望彬格莱先生会喜欢你这顶帽子，丽萃。” "We are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes," said her mother resentfully, "since we are not to visit." 她母亲气愤愤地说：“我们既然不预备去看彬格莱先生，当然就无从知道他喜欢什么。” "But you forget, mama," said Elizabeth, "that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long has promised to introduce him." “可是你忘啦，妈妈，”伊丽莎白说“我们将来可以在跳舞会上碰到他的，郎格太太不是答应过把他介绍给我们吗？” "I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her." “我不相信郎格太太肯这么做。她自己有两个亲侄女。他是个自私自利、假仁假义的女人，我睢不起她。” 
“我也瞧不起她，”班纳特先生说；“你倒不指望她来替你效劳，这叫我听到高兴。” Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply; but unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters. 班纳特太太没有理睬他，可是忍不住气，便骂起女儿来。 "Don't keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven's sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces." “别那么咳个不停，吉蒂，看老天爷份上吧！稍许体谅一下我的神经吧。你简直叫我的神经要胀裂啦。” "Kitty has no discretion in her coughs," said her father; "she times them ill." “吉蒂真不知趣，”她的父亲说；“咳嗽也不知道拣个时候。” "I do not cough for my own amusement," replied Kitty fretfully. “我又不是故意咳着玩儿”吉蒂气恼地回答道。 
“你们的跳舞会定在那一天开，丽萃？” "To-morrow fortnight." “从明天算起，还得再过两个星期。” "Aye, so it is," cried her mother, "and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself." “唔，原来如此，”她的母亲嚷道，“郎格太太可要挨到开跳舞会的前一天才能赶回来；那么，她可来不及把他介绍给你们啦，她自己也还不认识他呢。” "Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Bingley to her." “那么，好太太，你在可以占你朋友的上风，反过来替她介绍这位贵人啦。” "Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; how can you be so teasing?" “办不到，我的好老爷，办不到，我自己还不认识他呢；你怎么可以这样嘲笑人？” 
“我真佩服你想得这般周到。两个星期的认识当然谈不上什么。跟一个人相处了两个星期，不可能就此了解他究竟是怎样一个人。不过，要是我们不去尝试尝试，别人可少不了要尝试的。话说到底，郎格太太和她的侄女一定不肯错过这个良机。因此，要是你不愿意办这件事，我自己来办好了，反正她会觉得这是我们对她的一片好意。” The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, "Nonsense, nonsense!" 女儿们都对父亲瞪着眼。班纳特太太只随口说了声：“毫无意思！” "What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?" cried he. "Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there. What say you, Mary? for you are a young lady of deep reflection I know, and read great books, and make extracts." “你怎么这样大惊小怪！”他嚷道。“你以为替人家效点儿劳介绍是毫无意思的事吗？你这样的说法我可不大同意。你说呢，曼丽？我知道你是个有独到见解的少女，读的书都是皇皇巨著，而且还要做扎记。” Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how. 曼丽想说几句有见识的话可又不知道怎么说才好。 "While Mary is adjusting her ideas," he continued, "let us return to Mr. Bingley." 于是班纳特先生接下去说：“让曼丽仔细想一想再发表意见吧，我们还是重新来谈谈彬格莱先生。” 
“我就讨厌谈彬格莱先生，”他的太太嚷起来了。 "I am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me so before? If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now." “遗憾得很，你竟会跟我说这种话；你怎么不早说呢？要是今天上午听到你这样说，那我当然不会去拜访他啦。这真叫不凑巧。现在既然拜访也拜访过了，我们今后就少不了要结交这个朋友。” The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while. 果然不出他所料，娘儿们一听此说，一个个都大这惊异，尤其是班纳特太太，比谁都惊异得厉害；不过，这样欢天喜地地喧嚷了一阵以后，她便当从宣布，说这件事她早就料到的。 "How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved our girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now." “你真是个好心肠的人，我的好老爷！我早就知道你终究会给我说服的。你既然疼爱自己的女儿，当然就不会把这样一个朋友不放在心上。我真太高兴了！你这个玩笑开得真太有意思，谁想到你竟会今天上午去拜访他，而且到现在一字不提。” "Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose," said Mr. Bennet; and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife. “吉蒂，现在你可以放心大胆地咳嗽啦，”班纳特先生一面说，一面走出房间，原来他看到太太那样得意忘形，不免觉得有些厌恶。 
门一关上，班纳特太太便对她的几个女儿说“孩子们，你们的爸爸真太好了，我不知道你们怎样才能报答他的恩典；再说，你们还应该好好报答我一番呢。老实跟你们说吧，我们老夫妻活到这么一把年纪了，哪儿有兴致天天去交朋结友；可是为了你们，我们随便什么事都乐意去做。丽迪雅，乖宝贝，虽然你年纪最小，开起跳舞会来，彬格莱先生或许就偏偏要跟你跳呢。” "Oh!" said Lydia stoutly, "I am not afraid; for though I am the youngest, I'm the tallest." “噢！”丽迪雅满不在乎地说。“我才不当它一回事。年纪虽然是我最小，个儿算我顶高。” The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr. Bennet's visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner. 于是她们一方面猜测那位贵人什么时候会来回拜班纳特先生，一方面盘算着什么时候请他来吃饭，就这样把一个晚上的工夫在闲谈中度过去了。 Not all that Mrs. Bennet, however, with the assistance of her five daughters, could ask on the subject was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Bingley. They attacked him in various ways; with barefaced questions, ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises; but he eluded the skill of them all; and they were at last obliged to accept the second-hand intelligence of their neighbour Lady Lucas. Her report was highly favourable. Sir William had been delighted with him. He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, to crown the whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party. Nothing could be more delightful! To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love; and very lively hopes of Mr. Bingley's heart were entertained. 尽管班纳特太太有了五个女儿帮腔，向她丈夫问起彬格莱先生这样那样，可是丈夫的回答总不能叫她满意。母女们想尽办法对付他：赤裸裸的问句，巧妙的设想，离题很远的猜测，什么办法都用到了；可是他并没有上她们的圈套。最后她们迫不得已，只得听取邻居卢卡斯太太的间接消息。她的报道全是好话。据说威廉爵士很喜欢他。他非常年轻，长得特别漂亮，为了又极其谦和，最重要的一点是，他打算请一大群客人来参加下次的舞会。这真是再好也没有的事；喜欢跳舞是谈情说爱的一个步骤；大家都热烈地希望去获得彬格莱先生的那颗心。 "If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield," said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, "and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for." “我只要能看到一个女儿在尼日斐花园幸福地安了家，”班纳特太太对她的丈夫说，“看到其他几个也匹配得这样门当户对，此生就没有别的奢望了。”
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